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Remmus spoke with such sincerity that it hurt. “I’ll never hurt you, Ava. You have nothing to fear from me. I don’t know what happened to you, and I’m not asking, but you need to know that I’ll never intentionally harm you. You can trust me.”
You can trust me.
Echoes of her past swarmed her vision, blurring her line with reality. Shivers skated up her arms and lodged in her spine, making her teeth chatter. Hadn’t her ghost spoken the exact same words to her and then torn her heart out? Yet Remmus was speaking the truth.
“I know, Remmus.”
The soft words barely left her lips, but he heard her. Warm fingers settled over hers the contact so slight it was almost imperceptible, but his touch seared through her soul.
Clearing her throat of wayward tears, Ava said, “Turn right up here on the gravel road.”
Following her instruction, Remmus navigated the motorcycle down the pathway. Loose rock grit beneath their tires, and Ava cringed to think what Riaz would say when he realized they’d taken his prized possession down the rough trail.
As if hearing her thoughts, Remmus remarked, “I’ll clean it.”
“What a considerate thief you are.”
“I try,” came the laughing reply.
Up ahead, the road dissolved into a shoddy parking lot, devoid of cars but full of potholes. It had weathered logs for parking stops and a sign that looked like it wouldn’t make it through the winter. Remmus pulled alongside a log and rolled back onto the kickstand.
“Okay, Tour Guide, you’re up.”
Residual heat clung to her from her cuddle with Remmus. For a moment, she was lost in the seafoam green of his eyes. They reminded her of the ghost that haunted her, the stain on her memories. But the boy in her dreams had vanished as surely as she had.
“This way, tourist.”
She jerked her chin toward the shadowed walking path just ahead. Wide at the start, it narrowed considerably to where Ava led, and he followed behind. Darkened trees reached overhead, blocking out their view of the stars and any mountains that might’ve silhouetted against the horizon.
“It’s beautiful up here. Just wait.”
“Oh, I was already appreciating something beautiful.”
His suggestive tone had her instantly glancing back at him, unsurprised to see him appreciating her. When he caught her scowl, the dimple made another appearance.
“Just being honest, Ava.”
The way he said her name was like a stolen caress. Responding to his overture would only incite him further, but the thought of shutting him down sent a strange melancholy pinging through her mind. She didn’t truly want to be rid of his attempts at affection. In fact, the wolf prowling below her skin had never been more adamant about wanting her to encourage it.
“We’re here.”
The narrowed path opened up to strangely soundless clearing. A pond, fed by a small stream, had iced over, though it wouldn’t be thick enough to walk on yet.
“I come here after the tourist season ends. After October, the crowds drop off and the wildlife comes back out to play.”
Like the wild wolves currently circling them. “We’re about to have company.”
Loosening a howl from her throat, her wolf beckoned the wild ones closer. Eagerly, they trailed out of the darkness, directly toward where she stood with Remmus. When he stiffened beside her, Ava’s fingers reached out to curl around his wrist.
“Stay with me, Remmus.”
That was a command, a dominant she-wolf demanding the man behind her do as she bid. If there was one thing she didn’t want to have to do tonight, it was scraping Raeth off the gravel.
“I have no intention of running, Blondie.”
Ava was very familiar with the wild charcoal-grey creature leading the rest of the wolves and was happy to see him. When she went to her knees and opened her arms, his tongue dragged up the side of her face, slobbering her with kisses she smiled through.
“Remmus, this is Remington.” Ava ran her hands through the wolf’s thick coat. Lifting her gaze, she asked, “Would you like to meet him?”
